It’s a Wrap: Denver Film Festival

The Denver Film Festival ended yesterday. After living in a hotel for 14 days, I’m ready to sleep in my own bed again. I’m also excited to catch one or two nights of AFI FEST, a festival I worked three years for and have been a fan of for longer.

Here’s how the last weekend of Denver went down.

Friday, Nov. 11 – Day 10My day started earlier than usual with a private screening of a special selection of short films for a large group of students from the Denver School of the Arts. At 11:45am, the school bus arrives and the SIE FilmCenter is suddenly flooded with teenagers. They head straight to concessions for popcorn and sodas. The teachers and I try to hustle them quickly into the theater. After watching an hour-long program, I host a Q&A with two of the filmmakers present, Williams Naranjo, director of A NewCivilization,and Bryan Petsos, director of LIGHTNINGFACE. We discuss the shorts influences and the different paths to making films (including the pros and cons of film school). Each person gets to filmmaking differently and I feel it’s important to tell students the realities of their choices before they take out massive student loans.

I leave the SIE and head back to the UA Pavilions, where I spend the next several hours hosting intros. Food choices are not as exciting between these intros as time is limited. A salad at Corner Bakery disappoints and I go back to 5280 Burger Bar again for dinner since it’s one of the only decent options that is also open late. My final intro is the Late Night Shorts Program. My day wraps around 11:30pm after a fun Q&A with Petsos and The Itching animator Adam Davies.

Saturday, Nov 12 – Day 11The final weekend is here and I sleep in a little later and catch a few minutes of college football in my hotel room. After stopping to eat a large salad at Modern Market, I find my way back to the Pavilions theater. The Documentary Shorts program is screening for the first time of the fest and after introducing them to a packed audience, I stay to watch the films again in the theater’s wing. Sometimes, when the films are screening for the first time, I like to stay and feel the reactions or energy of the audience. This particular block was very powerful to watch given the past week and I sensed the audience felt it too. After, Soy Cubana producer Robin Ungar joined me for a Q&A. She shared stories of how they filmed in Cuba and the struggles of being a first time filmmaker. Afterward, I meet Hunter Gatherer director Josh Locy. I had introduced his film the day before, but he had several flight issues that kept him from arriving in time to attend our Q&A. Once his film begins, Josh, programmer Matthew Campbell and I head downstairs to grab a quick bite to eat and catch the remaining half of the LSU vs. Arkansas football game. (Geaux Tigers!) Josh tells us about his travels on the festival circuit and we discuss Fraud and other films traveling around.

The night continues on and my feet begin to hurt. Two more late intro’s completed and it’s finally time to head over to the Closing Night Party following the festival screening of Jackie. I arrive to the venue – the Children’s Museum – slightly before the Closing Night crowd and chat with some of the jurors in town. As everyone arrives, they discover the various exhibits of the museum: a bubble room, kinetic energy display and more. Patrons play with festival cocktails in hand. After catching up with a few staffers, I call it a night (early – at midnight!) and sadly miss the epic dance party that started sometime later.

DFF39 Closing Night Party at the Children’s Museum.

Saturday, Nov. 13 – Day 12Here we are. The last day of the festival. Always bittersweet.

It begins with the Festival Awards Brunch at The Curtis Hotel. Filmmakers, guests and blurry-eyed staff grab Mimosas and Bloody Marys from the hotel’s terrace bar. It’s another beautiful day in Denver and the sun is out. (The city has still have not had their first snow of the season, but global warming does not exist…) After mixing and mingling, the awards show begins. Festival leaders, Britta and Brit, take the stage while brunch is served. I grab a seat with Josh Locy, Matthew Campbell and guest services manager Caleb Ward. Just as the American Independent Narrative Feature Jury takes the stage, Josh has left the table for a moment. Matt, Caleb and I know he is the winner and quickly look around the room trying to find where he’s gone to. Matt jumps up to run out to the lobby and tries signaling to the jurors to “stretch it out”. They fail to notice his signals. As Matt walks out one door to the lobby, Josh walks back into the ballroom through another door. I jump up and now chase down Matt. We all are seated again as the jury announces Hunter Gatherer as the jury winner. I watch Josh’s face as he hears his film’s name. (Always fun to do.) After Josh gives an acceptance speech and returns to the table, we laugh over the almost-missed moment and awkwardness that would have ensued had he been out of the room.

After all the awardshave been announced (except the Audience Awards – those ballots are counted through Sunday night), I head back to my “home” at the Pavilions. As I wait in the lobby for my next intro, I see Jim O’Heir. He’s in town supporting his film Middle Man. I introduce myself, tell him I’m a fan of his work and thank him for attending the festival. We chat about his visit, living in Los Angeles and how people have begun to recognize him more often now that Parks & Recreation is on Netflix compared to when it was being broadcast. He’s a lovely guy and at one point stops to take a photo with some fans that recognize him while buying tickets to the film.

The night ends with the annual staff party at the SIE after all the films have ended and the production team has loaded out some of the non-screening venues. It has been twelve days in the trenches during one of the more emotional weeks of the year. There are drinks, dancing and hugs. And more drinks.

That’s a wrap on another festival. The crew will soon be at work preparing for their 40th year. Excited to see what’s in store.